1. The Field of the Invention
This invention broadly relates to a method of treating soil. In some of its more specific aspects, the invention is concerned with a method of improving the fertility of soil whereby plants grown in the treated soil are more vigorous and resistant to disease and adverse environmental conditions. The invention also relates to the treated soil characterized by improved fertility thus prepared.
2. The Prior Art
Plants grown in soil require moisture and a number of plant nutrients for vigorous growth such as water soluble compounds of nitrogen, phosphorous, potassium, calcium, magnesium, iron and other essential elements. The plant nutrients must be in a chemical form which allows them to be utilized by the plants. Thus, the mere presence of essential elemental substances in the soil does not necessarily mean that the plants are able to utilize them effectively. Also, the plant nutrients should be present in the proper concentration and ratios for the most effective utilization by the plants. As is well known, many soils are deficient in one or more plant nutrients and/or the plant nutrients which are present are not in a chemical form easily utilized by the plants.
A number of attempts have been made heretofore to overcome the above mentioned limitations and disadvantages of soils. The most common approach at the present time usually involves analyzing the soil to determine the available plant nutrients, and then adding plant nutrients in which the soil is deficient in the form of chemical fertilizers. This method is expensive initially and, as a general rule, it must be repeated each year to achieve the best results as all or part of the added plant nutrients are consumed by the growing plants. The use of conventional chemical fertilizers does not have any appreciable beneficial effect on plant nutrients present in the soil in an unavailable form. Additionally, chemical fertilizers do not increase the resistance of the growing plants to disease or adverse environmental conditions.
It will be apparent from the foregoing that the art has long sought an entirely satisfactory method of treating soil which not only assures that the necessary plant nutrients are present, but also aids in converting normally unavailable plant nutrients in the soil to a form which growing plants are capable of utilizing. Additionally, the treated soil also should provide the growing plants with an environment which results in greater resistance to disease and/or adverse environmental conditions. However, a suitable method of treating soil to provide these beneficial effects simultaneously was not available prior to the present invention.